President Moon Jae-in's office offered an apology over alleged irregularities of nominees for top government posts Friday.
The apology came as the main opposition parties refused to endorse a joint report on the outcome of a recent confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Lee Nak-yon.
Lee, a former lawmaker and a provincial governor, came under scrutiny over his wife's false registration of residence while working as a public school teacher, a move aimed at being assigned to a school of her choice.
Lee has admitted and apologized for the past wrongdoing.
Still, the decades-old misdeed directly contradicted President Moon Jae-in's election pledge to exclude any person with such a history from his consideration for nomination to high government posts.
"The presidential office is working to verify nominees for new ranking government officials with very high moral standards," Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok told a press briefing.
"But we do confess the reality of running state affairs is not as easy as making election pledges and ask for your understanding." (Yonhap)